Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Manchester: Riot police in full body armour in Market Street tonight as looters set fashion retailer Miss Selfridge on fire

Fresh violence is flaring around the UK as parts of the West Midlands and Manchester come under siege from a series of copy-cat riots.

It comes as 16,000 police officers have been deployed on London's streets in a bid to contain a fourth night of violence which spiraled out of control across dozens of London suburbs yesterday.

Manchester: Miss Selfridge was set alight in Market Street, tonight, but the blaze is now under control, however thousands of pounds of damage has been done

Disorder and looting has rocked parts of Manchester particularly, although there has also been violence in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, West Bromwich, Nottingham, Leicester and Liverpool - although police appear to be containing the unrest.

None of the violence has escalated in the same way as it did in London last night. The capital has remained relatively calm tonight.

Manchester: Looters - including a young boy who grabbed a bottle of wine - make off with items from the Sainsbury's Local store in Manchester city centre this evening

So far, 109 people have been arrested in the West Midlands, 47 in Manchester and Salford, and 44 in and around Liverpool.In Bristol there were 19 arrests for offences, including having a balaclava in your possession.

West Midlands Police is currently investigating reports that shots have been fired at a police officer just outside Birmingham city centre, thought to be in the Aston area, according to Sky.

Manchester: A masked looter runs off with items from Sainsbury's Local in Manchester

There was also a large blaze at a derelict art college in Gloucester, with several smaller fires, while police also dealt with small groups who attacked them.

Meanwhile in London the situation was calmer compared to last night's violence which spread across dozens of suburbs.

Liverpool: More rioting in the Toxteth area of Liverpool tonight. Police with riot shields try to bring hooded youths under control in the city

However, there were small pockets of violence in Canning Town and Enfield, while there was a fire at a council recycling centre in Tottenham

In Manchester, about 100 yobs have looted shops including Foot Asylum in the Arndale Centre and Liam Gallagher's recently opened fashion boutique in King Street had its windows smashed.

Torched: A man approaches two burnt out cars following the disturbances in Salford

A marauding gang of up to 200 youths, most of them masked or wearing hoodies, fought a running battle with police, kicking in windows of supermarkets, jewellery stores and mobile phone shops.

In the heart of the city, Miss Selfridge was set alight and stores including Swarovski, T-Mobile, French Connection and Marks & Spencer all had their windows smashed.

The mob had almost total control of the city centre streets for more than an hour and a half before deployments of plain clothed officers – some armed with telescopic truncheons – made raids on specific targets to apprehend looters.

Undercover police officers have arrest looters in the Swarovski Crystal shop in Manchester. One looter lies injured and blood can be seen on the wall

Manchester: Liam Gallagher's boutique clothes shop PrettyGreen is attacked by rioters in Manchester, right, and a shop-keeper announces he is closing early

Birmingham: Masked looters carry boxes of expensive electrical gadgets out of a home cinema shop in central Birmingham this evening

Manchester: Hooded looters with arm fulls of clothes, including shirts, jumpers and jeans, run from the Arndale Centre in Manchester

Birmingham: A policeman and his dog walk towards a burning car in central Birmingham set alight by arsonists

Birmingham: Police disperse youths who gathered near Birmingham Coach Station last night as the violence spread across the UK

Southall: Sikh worshipers protect their temple Singh Sabha Sikh Temple in Havelock Road, Southall. They are pictured holding their swords known as Talwars

London: London seems relatively peaceful this evening after hundreds of police officers flood the streets. These officers are taking a break in Wandsworth

Manchester: A rioter is pictured trying to smash the Esprit shop window on Market Street in Manchester this evening

Shutting up shop: Men board up a sushi restaurant on Hampstead High Street in north London, right, and a landlord boards up his pub in central London